The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-31
4 RADICAL RAILWAY REFORM
An Abuse Of Thirty-Five Years. Stand
inc To BE Summarily Abolished.
A Majority of the Railways of the County
Determine that They Will No Longer Pay
Commissions ON Sales of Tickets.

Commissions ON Sales of Tickets.
New YORK March 30.-The joint executive |
committee of the trunk lines and the Central
Traffic Association held an important meeting at
Commissioner Fink's Office, in this city, to-day.
and the result of its deliberations will be read
with interest by railroad men ali over the coun-
try, not to men ton the scalpers. The end sought
is nothing less than the complete adjustment of
commissions for the sale of passenger tickets all
over the country, the inhibition to run, not only
4 as to professional ticket brokers' but also as to
regular agents, who have for many years been
allowed commissions on their sales of tickets
over lines connecting with those in whose en-
ployment they have been. The decision was
reached unanimously and by such large num-
Der of lines that it is believed that it will prove
more effective than previous attempts in the
same direction. which were put into force only
on the trunk lines. This abuse. which began
more than thirty five years ago, has grown
to such enormous proportions that it
the railways of the United hna s ssa,es
directly and indirectly, at the rate of more than
S. 000 600 annually, and has to a great extent,
been the means by which the ticket-scalpers
have been built up. The Central Traffic Asso-
citation mas been at work for over year in en-
deavoring to reach an agreement for the aboli-
ton of this system, but not until now have the
lines been able to reach unanimous concur
renee. The circular announcing the fact is is
sued from the rooms of the Central Traffic Asso-
citation in Chicago. dated to-day. signed by AS
sstant Commissioner George FL. Daniels and
approved by Commissioner G. R. Blanchard.
II is addressed to all ticket agents and ticket
sellers throughout the United States and Can
ada and recites the action of su1dry meetings
leading up to date, beginning with meeting of
Il TroH So Ascn ciati
Is last when the commissioner was requested to
get the votes of all the railways in the Central
Traffic Association territory the subject of
abolshing commissions. The next meeting was
held IN New York. on the Sd inst, ut which the
general passenger agents of the trunk lines, the
Central Traffic Association, the New England
Passenger Association and the Southern Passen-
ger Association, well as a large number OF
lines in New England, New York. New Jersey
and Pennsylvania. not members Of either of the
above associations, representing ninety-twe
transportation companies, were present. This
meeting unanimously recommended the
total stoppage of commission payments
not merely to scalpers, but to the
regular ticket agents of the roads them
selyes and that all proper means DE used to Sc
cure concurrent action without delay. On the
following day this action approved by the
presidents and managers join. committee, and
the commissioner was instructed to issue a cir
cular covering that action. Ine circular pro
ceeas as follows:
'In accordance with the above action you ar.
hereby notified that commissions or othe
compensation of any kind or character will b.
paid or participated in by the undermen TONED
lines for the sale of tickets. or for the securing
of passenger traffic over these lines. or any o
them, from and after April l. 1887 By author
aty Of the managing officers OF the roads her
signed" The signatures include the Alleghen,
Valley. the Baltimore & Ohio, Buffalo, New Yorl
a. Philadelphia; Cincinnati & Muskingum Val
ley; Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St Louis & Chica
go; Cincinnati, jackson & Macknaw; Chicago
WastM iehipap. Cincinnati Wabash ~
Cincinnati. Washington & Baltimore; Columbu
CINCINNATI IIldiaua, clo,oi~aa, celur-eu-
Cleveland, Akron e. Columbus Chicago & Gran
Trunk; Champaign & Havana line; Columbus
Hooking Valley & Toledo Chicago, St Louis
Pittshurg; Cincinnati, Hamilton Dayton; Day
Detroit Grand Haven 81 Milwaukee, Eyansvill
& Terre Haute; Grand Trunk; Grand Rapids
Indiana; indianapolis & St. Louis; Indiana HI
nois & Iowa lnaian 1s,;o;. bio San,hsr1
indianapolis. Decatur d Springfield
Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis; h,
nawha & Ohio; Lake Shore Is Michigan South
ern; Lake Erie e. Western; Louisville Nasl
Vile; Louisville, Evansville 81 ST. Louis Mich
gan Central; Michigan Ohis; New Yorl
Pennsylvania & Ohio; New York Lake Erie
WESTERN New York. Chicago st. Louis; ON
& Mississippi; Ohio e. North western; Pittsbur
Il Western; Peoria, Decatur 81 EVANSVILLE
Pittsburg & Lake Erie, Pittsburg Cincinna
&, St. Louis: Scioto Valley; Saginaw Valley
Michigan: Toledo, Columbus g. Southern; II
Iedo & Ohio Central; Terre Hauts 81 IndianaI
oils Wandalia line): Toledo. Peoria q Western
Wabash, St Louis & Pacific Zines east OF tn
Mississippi rivere Wheeling & Lake Erie
In addition TO the above, the following lines
the Central Traffic Association have notified tn
Office that they pay no commissions, and con
missions have been eliminated by most of tt
New England roads, of their own volition: Tt
Bellaire, GAINESVILLE 81 Cincinnati; Clncinna
Southern; Cleveland, Lorraine q Wheelin
Cleveland & Marietta Cincinnati. Georgetow
G. Portsmouth; Cleveland d Canton; Fo
WAYNE, Cincinnati & Louisville; Illinois Mi
land Valley railway.
The Importance of this movement may be 6
tmated wher it is understood that the varlo,
associations agreeing to abolish ticket comm
sionsscomprise the Central Traffic Association
COMPOSED of all important lines east OF Chcas
aud St Louis and west OF the Western terml!
of the trunk lines: the lines between Butfal
Salamanca and Wheeling the west, and Ne
York Philadelphia and Baltimore on the cas-
the Southern Passenger Association, which cor
prises oil the important lines east OF the Missl
fippi and south of the Ohio and Potomac; tt
New England Association. comprising all II
important railway lines in New England.
The agreement is made more binding by a.
other clause providing that neither of the agre
ing companies will act as agent for connectir
lines who continue to pay their agents a commi
sion. The joint committee discussed the troub
with the Grand Trunk railway but finally d
cided to take action in the premises. III
managers meeting, however, held after the a
iournment of the joint committee, and compose
of nearly the same persons, decided, in view
the support given the rule abolishing "tick
scalpng" conceded to the Grand Trunk road
differential on east-bound passenger rates. The
are allowed ST. so passengers from Chicago
New York, and SO on Chicago to Boston Y
5Montrea and this is placed in the schedu
The Grand Trunk have had this dlfferential Il
gome time.
The meeting adjourned to reassemble in Oh
.cago on April IA.